History
Paper 2H (AS) Specimen Question Paper
Question 02 Student 3
Specimen Answer and Commentary
V1.0 05/01/16
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Specimen Answer plus commentary
The following student response is intended to illustrate approaches to assessment. This response
has not been completed under timed examination conditions. It is not intended to be viewed as a
‘model’ answer and the marking has not been subject to the usual standardisation process.
Paper 2H (AS): Specimen question paper
02 ‘It was the actions of the Paris Parlement that forced Louis XVI to agree to call an EstatesGeneral.’
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
[25 marks]
Student response
The actions of the Paris Parlement were key to the calling of the Estates General. While the Paris
Parlement didn’t share power with Louis XVI, it still managed to force him into a position where he
was more willing to accept the idea of giving power to the Estates General.
The Paris Parlement made tax reform impossible for the king, saying that only the Estates General
could register taxes. On the 6th of July 1787, Brienne forwarded the ‘Subvention Territoriale’ and
‘Edit du Timbre’ for registration. The King attempted to use the lit de justice in order to force it through
Parlement, however the Paris Parlement declared the order was null and void, claiming only the
Estates General could register taxes.
This was a problem for Louis XVI, as it gave him very few options. He needed to reform taxation in
France in order to deal with the rising debt, and the only way he could do that was if he got the Paris
Parlement, or the Estates General, to register the taxes. He could give in to the demands of
Parlement and call the Estates General, which is what he ended up doing, however this went against
his ideas on absolute monarchy. Another option open to him was to try to persuade or even coerce
the Paris Parlement into giving into his demands, which is exactly what he did.
After being exiled the Paris Parlement negotiated for the withdrawal of the Edit du Timbre, and for the
general land tax to be modified to exclude the lands of people of title. In return they offered to register
any further specific loans. However, when the Parlement was allowed to return on the 20th of
September, Brienne proposed an ‘Emprunt Successif’, successive loans, which would effectively give
the King a blank check. The Parlement delayed and when confronted by the King, they refused to
register the successive loans.
This gave the King no other choice than to look for other routes to take to pass tax reforms, and while
Brienne attempted to use the Plenary court to register his edicts, they only met once. The only other
option for the king was to call the Estates General, in hope that they might pass tax reforms.
The Paris Parlement was able to push its agenda of the calling of the Estates General by effectively
waging a cold war against Louis XVI, by using the very little power it had, it was able to give him little
other option, by declaring orders null and void, and by delaying meetings. Showing Louis XVI that he
would not get tax reform through the Paris Parlement forced him to call the Estates General in 1789.
However, perhaps not all the credit should go to the Paris Parlement, as in fact it could be said that
the calling of the Estates General was a given. With France in so much debt from its involvement in
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various wars, such as the American Revolution, the problem was reaching crisis point, so with this in
mind I think it is important to remember that these problems with debt had been growing since the
reign of Louis XIV, and that it was only a matter of time until power would have to be given to the
Estates General in order to bring about tax reform, which was catalysed by the Paris Parlement’s
actions, pushing the King to action.
The weakness of King Louis XVI should be considered also. He sacked more competent ministers,
who knew what needed to be done, but lacked the support of the King, such as Turgot, and
eventually ended up with Necker, who really only worsened the situation for Louis XVI and any
minister that followed after Necker, mainly due to his Compte Rendu. Had Louis XVI supported his
ministers from the start, and had done what was necessary to achieve a general land tax, institutions
such as the Parlement would not have been able to seize an opportunity as they did at a time of
crisis.
Also, pressure from the first estate would have been important in forcing the King to call the Estates
General, as the King would have to give them a say in the matter, if he wanted to avoid clashing with
the church, which was the basis of his power, as he was supposedly chosen by God to rule. If he had
tried to force Land tax without consulting the church, he would have had major problems. This also
goes for the second estate.
Another factor to consider is the revolting and violence that was taking place in areas such as
Rennes, armed protest swept the kingdom, for instance on the Day of Tiles. The situation for many
was becoming dire and the king’s lack of success as well as his tyrannical portrayal, meant that he
was becoming very unpopular. This would have encouraged the King to go with the wishes of the
people, in fear of a revolution occurring.
All in all, it was the Paris Parlement that really forced the King into calling the Estates General, but
they could only do this because of the economic pressure of the time, the attitudes of the first and
second estates and the revolts taking place. Louis XVI needed to bring through reforms to taxation to
fix the economic crisis, but to do so he would most likely alienate the basis of his power, the first and
second estate, unless they agreed to pay the taxes. This gave him little other choice than to give in to
the demands of Parlement and call for the Estates General.
Commentary – Level 4
There is a clear and well supported assessment of the role of the Parlement, if occasionally over
stated or unclear. This is an important strength of the answer, although what ‘waging a cold war’
actually means is not developed. The arguments against the central importance of the Parlement are
less effective and less well developed and not always convincing, but the answer does have range
and is invariable relevant. It is a lower Level 4 response.
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